Mt Ding Jun: Forever Youthful
by Miao Cai
Summary: ONESHOT. Huang Zhong goes to battle and proves himself by single handedly killing Xiahou Yuan, saving Mt. Tian Dang and conquering Mt. Ding Jun!


_I was thinking about Huang Zhong and my nickname for him as "old man"..._

_AN: One _chi_ is about three-fourths a foot, nine inches, or for you non-residential US people, 23.1 centimeters._

Mt. Ding Jun - Forever Youthful

Disclaimer - I do not own Dynasty Warriors, nor the locations Mt. Tian Dang, Mt. Ding Jun and the characters. Chen Shi and Fa Zheng currently belong to themselves.

Huang Zhong pulled his arrow back and released on Mt. Tian Dang the same time Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying came across him.

"Lord Huang," began Yue Ying. "What was the purpose of that?"

"Very simple," replied Huang Zhong. "I sent Fa Zheng and Chen Shi up there two days ago and haven't heard a progress report. I'm growing worried; if Zhang He or Xiahou Yuan knew that I sent my advisor up there, they'll bring a distant attack from Mt. Tian Dang to defend Mt. Ding Jun. I need a progress report. Along with the arrow I sent, I attached a sheet of paper and requested an immediate report."

"This is pretty clever of Zhang He, we must be cautious," sighed Zhuge Liang. "We do not know what he has planned."

"That's why Fa Zheng is up there," said Huang Zhong, peering up. "This is his duty: When a minor officer comes near our camp, he is to set a green flag up. When a major officer comes near, he is to set a blue flag. When the Strategist Zhang He is near, he is to set a red flag. When the Commander Xiahou Yuan comes, he is to set a white flag. Not only that, I said to Fa Zheng, 'If I come riding on a horse, ensure that an ambush is ready and attack the one chasing me'. It's a last resort."

"Since Chen Shi and Fa Zheng is there though," began Yue Ying, "How do you know if he received your message? He could be halfway around."

"I told him that specific area to camp," replied Huang Zhong. "He should be there."

Zhuge Liang inclined his head. "And how will he give it to you back?"

"He'll attach his message to my arrow and launch it back."

Yue Ying asked, "Uh, Lord Huang, if Zhang He begins an expedition on the mountain, how will your men escape from them?"

"I have Yan Yan on that mountain; it is his duty to protect Fa Zheng and Chen Shi at all costs." Huang Zhong narrowed his eyes and glared at the sky. "Hey, young ones, what can you conclude about the stars?"

Yue Ying took a glance. "I see a death tomorrow, but I cannot tell on which side, I just see an old man." She received a death glare from Huang Zhong. "N-Not you, Lord Huang, it could be...um...Xiahou Yuan."

Zhuge Liang shook his head. "That's not what I see. I see..." He looked closer. "I see...two men of a family."

Huang Zhong rubbed his beard. "These strange signs...how do you interpret them?"

Yue Ying shrugged. "I just wait to see what surprises the next day holds."

"I think all night."

"So much for genius," mumbled the old man. "I would have been strategist for it not been for Shiyuan and Kongming..."

A long pause followed; Zhuge Liang stretched and yawned. "It's past midnight from what I can tell. We should be getting some rest for tomorrow we engage the Wei army. Come on, Yue Ying, let's go to sleep." He held out his hand and Yue Ying took it. "Lord Hansheng, you should be getting to sleep as well."

"Not until I get that progress report," replied Huang Zhong. "Little boy, little girl, you should leave the elder one with his work, run along now."

"I am not a child," pouted Zhuge Liang, folding his arms.

Yue Ying pulled his sleeve. "Come on now, the old man wants to stay up. He could get shot by Lord Xiahou for all I care."

"Such disrespect!" exclaimed Hansheng. "Run before I send Wei Yan after you two!"

"Wei Yan..." the name of Zhuge Liang's nemesis slipped his breath. "Let's go before that beast hears word of this." He started back to the camp.

"Now that's not nice," said Yue Ying. "Ah, Liang, you go. I want to stay a little longer."

"There's no purpose in staying out in a time such as this," replied Huang Zhong. "Go back before you get hurt and I'll be the one to blame."

"Another sexist!" exclaimed Yue Ying, folding her arms. "I could take care of myself, old man."

"Not in the way I see," said Huang Zhong. "One under fifty should not belong in the battlefield."

Yue Ying pulled her scythe back and stood in a fighting stance. "You want to test your luck, old man?"

Huang Zhong pulled his sword but noticed a metallic object flash from Mt. Tian Dang. "Afraid not, little one: I have more important matters to tend to."

"What do you mean, white hair?" snapped Yue Ying, not inclining her head the bit.

"Be careful, I think you'll have an _impact_," answered Huang Zhong, grinning.

Yue Ying took a peek at Mt. Tian Dang, and the same object Huang saw was headed straight for her. She screamed and held her scythe in front of her, yet couldn't spin it. The arrow barely missed her head and landed in the ground near her. Yue Ying fainted.

"Now you can't say I did not warn you," chuckled Huang Zhong, taking the arrow and detaching the progress report, reading it:

_Lord Huang Zhong,_

_This is Fa Zheng, Chen Shi and Yan Yan reporting. All the flags are ready for use and not a single Wei troop is in sight. We have sent one troop per --- to keep watch and not arouse suspicion. _

Huang Zhong strained his eyes, but couldn't read what was between "One troop per" and "To keep watch". He shook Yue Ying.

"What...?" she asked, getting up. "Did I die?" Then noticing Huang Zhong in front of her, she added, solemnly, "Because of an old man? Aye, this'll stain my reputation for what? Eight, nine hundred years?"

"First of all, you're alive." _Unfortunately,_ he added in his mind. "Second of all, if you did die because of an old man, that'll stain you for thousands of years. Do me a favor, girly, and tell me what this says." He pointed to a character on the sheet.

Yue Ying rubbed her eyes. "Why should I tell you, white hair?"

Huang Zhong slapped her head. "Now tell."

Yue Ying glimpsed. "I think it says per three _chi_."

Huang Zhong groaned. "Some advisor, I have to warn them." He took a sheet of paper and scribbled a message. Then he attached it to an arrow and prepared it in his bow; a white flag went up. Another man drew an arrow from a distance and launched it before Zhong could.

Huang Zhong held his hand and sank. Yue Ying looked around. "Who did that?"

Xiahou Yuan leaped off a tree. "It was I."

"That's it..." began Huang Zhong. "No one slits my archery hand and gets away with it!"

"Take it easy, old man," said Yue Ying, scoffing. "Leave it to a professional to do this."

"You don't know who I am, do you," chuckled Xiahou Yuan. He pulled an arrow up and aimed for Yue Ying.

"HA!" she said, brushing her shoulder. "Do you think that can penetrate my armor? Why, I had it specially made from-"

"It will, watch yourself, little girl," interrupted Huang Zhong. "You do know that the person you are riling is Xiahou Yuan, right? The _second_ best archer to me?"

Xiahou Yuan scoffed. "Let it go, old man. And as for you, girly, shouldn't you be sewing, cooking or pleasing that old man right now?"

Yue Ying stumbled back. "What? ELAUGH!"

Huang Zhong flung the blood off his hand and pulled an arrow, fitting it in his bow. "Well, are you ready to challenge me, Xiahou Yuan?"

Xiahou Yuan aimed for Huang Zhong, but pulled the quiver at Yue Ying; had it not been for Huang, Yue Ying could have been killed: the arrow was originally aimed for her heart, but it Huang Zhong's shoulder. "GAHH!" Hansheng grabbed his shoulder; the first thing on his mind was revenge. He took an arrow from his back and threw it: _threw_ it at Xiahou Yuan. He stumbled back and barely missed it. "I'll get you..." grumbled Huang Zhong, clenching his fist. "HAHHH!" He ran forward and punched the Wei officer's stomach. Xiahou Yuan spat out blood and hit a tree.

"That's for aiming at a little girl," said Huang Zhong, rolling his shoulder back a few times. "This is for reckless choice!" He ran forward again, a fist in the air.

Xiahou Yuan laughed. "Old man, do you think I would fall for the same thing twice?"

"No, and I was right! Ha HA!" When they were within range, Huang Zhong swung his arm, but then tricked Yuan by swing his other arm with an arrow in hand.

Xiahou Yuan screamed in pain, then kicked Huang Zhong away and pulled the arrow out of his side. "You..." he said, through gritted teeth. "I'll get you!"

"All talk and no action!" laughed Huang Zhong. "Are you ready to admit defeat?"

Xiahou Yuan grinned. "I think you are old man."

"Eh?" Zhong looked around. "Where's the ambush?"

Xiahou Yuan fit an arrow in his bow. "No ambush, we fight only with our arrows."

"Well, sounds fair." Huang Zhong fit an arrow into his bow and both waited for minutes, waiting for the first attack.

"Ladies first," riled Huang Zhong.

Xiahou Yuan did not respond.

"Somebody, do something!" screamed Yue Ying. Both looked at her surprised, for they had forgotten she was there.

"Why don't you, girly?" snapped Xiahou Yuan, struggling to keep his concentration.

She replied, "I shall not dishonor Lord Huang's challenge. Now do something!"

Xiahou Yuan aimed for Yue Ying; she was knocked by Huang Zhong before, thus weakened. "Watch your mouth. Huang Zhong, if you do not put the bow down, the girl dies."

Huang Zhong started shaking; he couldn't let Yue Ying die, nor could he let Xiahou Yuan escape.

"Choose wisely, Hansheng," continued Xiahou Yuan.

Huang Zhong dropped his bow.

"Good boy," said Xiahou Yuan, changing his target to Huang Zhong. "Now die."

It was rather quick; in a sudden movement, a figure jumped from a tree and knocked Xiahou Yuan down, and another came down to Yue Ying.

"Yan Yan!" exclaimed Huang Zhong.

He bowed and replied, "I came as fast as I could!"

Zhuge Liang pulled Yue Ying to her feet. "Who knew how fast I could be when I want to be!"

"That's it," said Xiahou Yuan, rising. "HAA!" He stood there, light flashing.

All the flags from Mt. Tian Dang went up.

Zhang He, Xiahou Shang, Pang De, and Xu Zhu came up, each with a tremendous amount of troops.

Yue Ying, Yan Yan, Zhuge Liang and Huang Zhong exchanged glances.

The two sides clashed, Wei and Shu, Xiahou Yuan and Huang Zhong.

Xiahou Yuan took out his club and slapped Huang Zhong's weakened shoulder. The elder man clenched it hard, attempting to nullify the pain. He in return drew his sword and slit Xiahou Yuan's arms and chest. Xiahou Yuan stumbled back and both waited for the next move. Huang Zhong stood there, unknowing that three Wei troops from behind him pushed him forward, leaving him prone to an attack from Xiahou Yuan.

Xiahou Yuan raised his club and screamed, "HERE'S YOUR END, OLD MAN!"

Huang Zhong sighed. _I'm too old for this..._and he waited for his doom.

"You got lucky, old man!" exclaimed Yue Ying, blocking Xiahou Yuan's attack with her scythe. "Take this as a thank you for saving me!"

Huang Zhong stumbled back at the sight of a blade in front of him. Then, he drew his sword once again and charged; had it not been for Xiahou Shang, he would have reached Yuan.

"What's the matter, old man?" chuckled Xiahou Shang, avoiding Huang Zhong's blade.

Huang Zhong stumbled back once again and drew his sword the same moment Xiahou Shang swung his spear; the result? Xiahou Shang fell back and loss his weapon. "Looks like when it comes to a weapon match with an "old man" the younger one loses." He looked on to Xiahou Shang and stabbed his sword in the ground, drawing an arrow. "Now what do you have to say?"

"..."

"Very well, then die." Huang Zhong released the arrow.

Xiahou Yuan just realized what happened. "W-What? SHANG!" he exclaimed.

Zhuge Liang shook his head and said to Huang Zhong, "I don't think you should have done that, Lord Hansheng."

"We have to rid them," replied Zhong. "I had no other choice."

Xiahou Yuan ran up to Huang Zhong but tricked him; he beat Yue Ying and Zhuge Liang with his club instead of Hansheng. "Let's see how you fair against this!"

Yan Yan leaped from a tree and stepped on Xiahou Yuan's face. "It wouldn't be fair to use our officers as a hostage."

"That is very true," said Zhang He, who attacked Yan Yan from behind. "But you have the lower hand, and-"

"Attacking from behind!" screamed Zhuge Liang, ceasing Xiahou Yuan's beatings by shooting a green beam at his face, only to make him stumble. "It's just typical of Wei to be this dishonorable!"

"One of us has to go back!" said Yue Ying to Zhuge Liang, Huang Zhong and Yan Yan. "One of us has to go to the main camp and worn Lord Liu!"

"I'll go!" said Yan Yan.

"You can't! You still have to protect Fa Zheng and Chen Shi when it comes to it!" exclaimed Huang Zhong. "I'll head to the main camp!" Huang Zhong leaped on a horse and started back to the main camp.

"Don't think I would let you escape so easily, old man!" said Xiahou Yuan, mounting and following him. "I must avenge Xiahou Shang's death!"

Huang Zhong turned around, struggling to keep on his horse. "HA! How about this, Xiahou Yuan, I want to make a deal with you. If you win, I'll allow you to behead me and take my head to Cao Cao! If I win then you are to submit to Shu! How does it sound, Miaocai?"

Xiahou Yuan laughed. "Let's go, old man!"

Huang Zhong frowned. "Call me old man once again and you'll get it!"

"Old man, what's the matter? Afraid to fight one who will behead you?"

Huang Zhong looked ahead. _Yes, we're almost there; just a little more..._

"Afraid that a little man, plenty more youthful will defeat you? That's why you're running away? You'll die anyway, so let me attack! Oh well, mounted is more challenging!" Xiahou Yuan took out his bow and launched an arrow at Huang Zhong.

Huang Zhong groaned. _This shoulder was hit so many times..._ He looked ahead. _Yes, very close! Fa Zheng, it's up to you!_ He rode up a pass that Fa Zheng created on Mt. Tian Dang.

Xiahou Yuan released another arrow. "Old man, are you afraid to face me?"

Huang Zhong was slit in the neck. _This little boy's got deadly accuracy...if this doesn't work, I'm a dead man!_

Xiahou Yuan prepared another arrow. "Wait a minute, this is too easy!" He looked around himself. Fa Zheng and Chen Shi along with legions of troops surrounded him: they each held a bow and an arrow. Xiahou Yuan released his arrow on Huang Zhong, which triggered the troops and the advisors to release their arrows at Xiahou Yuan, killing him.

It was not long before Yue Ying, Zhuge Liang, and Yan Yan caught up.

"W-What happened?" asked Yan Yan.

"Huang Zhong and Xiahou Yuan rode up here," replied Chen Shi. "Xiahou Yuan, he shot Lord Huang, and in return we hit him; none of our arrows were able to counter Lord Xiahou's..."

"HAHA! Maybe an arrow couldn't counter it, but one old man did!" Huang Zhong stood up and held the arrow between his fingers. "Shame, if that Xiahou Yuan was with us, I could have taught him to be a better archer..." Huang Zhong snapped the arrow with his fingers alone. "What happened to Zhang He?"

"I figured he sensed Xiahou Yuan's death; he fled with a terrible expression," said Zhuge Liang. "Come on, I think it's time to share our victory with Lord Liu. We have fulfilled our journey; we now control Mt. Ding Jin and Mt. Tian Dang."

Meanwhile, Zhang He had already reached Cao Cao since he was on the way to Mt. Ding Jun and Mt. Tian Dang. "Zhang He?" said Cao Cao out of shock. "What happened?"

A few troops helped Zhang He. "Xiahou Yuan..." said Zhang He, struggling to stand straight. "Huang Zhong... dueled... Xiahou Yuan...died..."

"Xiahou Yuan has-!" exclaimed Cao Cao. "I'll get you for this Liu Bei!"

But he never has.

He knew better than Xiahou Yuan; he would never challenge Shu now, the kingdom with all the power:

Liu Bei with the control;

Zhao Yun, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Ma Chao, the ultimate destroyers;

Zhuge Liang and Yue Ying, the cunning ones;

Fa Zheng and Chen Shi, the loyal ones;

The devoted troops and solders, fighting for a resurrection of the Han;

And finally Huang Zhong, the old man who is never an old man.


End file.
